Liquid Ejecting Head Nozzle Plate Cost Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ink jet recording heads face high costs due to expensive nozzle plates and limited size reduction of flow channel formation substrates, which restrict cost reduction and yield improvement.
Innovation Solution
A liquid ejecting head design that includes a nozzle plate with reduced size, a communication substrate for pressure generation chambers, and a modular case member structure to form a liquid holding portion, allowing for cost reduction and size minimization of components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a nozzle plate is used to seal the flow channel formation substrate, then the liquid holding portion is sealed effectively, but the cost increases due to the high cost of the nozzle plate and insulative water-repellent film
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sealing function from the traditional nozzle plate and relocates it to the end surface of the flow channel formation substrate. By forming the liquid holding portion directly on the substrate and using the substrate's own end surface for sealing, the design eliminates the need for a separate expensive nozzle plate and its associated water-repellent film, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the substrate and the liquid holding portion into a single integrated structure. The flow channel formation substrate itself forms the walls and end surface of the liquid holding portion, combining multiple functions (structural support, fluid containment, and sealing surface) into one component, which reduces the total number of parts and assembly complexity.
2Productivity
If the flow channel formation substrate size is reduced to increase yield, then manufacturing cost decreases, but the liquid holding portion cannot be accommodated adequately
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the thickness dimension of the flow channel formation substrate to create the liquid holding portion. By forming the holding portion as a recess or cavity within the substrate thickness rather than requiring additional lateral space, the design accommodates the liquid volume within the existing substrate footprint, enabling smaller substrate sizes while maintaining adequate liquid capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid holding portion is nested within the flow channel formation substrate itself. The substrate structure contains the liquid volume through internally formed walls and recesses, similar to a nested doll configuration, which maximizes space utilization and allows the liquid holding function to be integrated within the minimal substrate dimensions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design reduces the surface area and cost of the nozzle plate, enables smaller actuator units, and increases yield by allowing for more substrates on a single wafer, streamlining assembly and improving ejection quality.
Implementation Method 1
piezoelectric actuators provided for the respective pressure generation chambers on one surface of the flow channel formation substrate, and that ejects ink droplets from respective nozzle openings by using displacement in the respective piezoelectric actuators to generate pressure inside the pressure generation chambers
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid ejecting head includes: a nozzle plate provided with nozzle openings; an actuator unit including a flow channel formation substrate in which pressure generation chambers are provided and piezoelectric actuators that cause a change in the pressure of the liquid within respective pressure generation chambers; a communication substrate in which communication channels that communicate between the pressure generation chambers and corresponding nozzle openings are provided; a first case member that is a frame member affixed to the communication substrate so that the actuator unit is disposed within the first case member and that, along with the actuator unit, forms a manifold that holds the liquid to be supplied to the pressure generation chambers; and a second case member that is affixed to the first case member and in which is formed an introduction channel that sends the liquid from the exterior to the manifold.